Always and Forever, Part 1 and 2
by TheGingerNextDoor
Summary: Emmett's story. A little sappy at the end, sorry, but I think he has it in him, just buried deep inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Always and Forever-Part 1-The Meeting**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight characters. They belong to Stepheine Meyer. **

**Summary: I wanted to reveal some of Emmett's back story as his character means to me. This is about his past and the things he remembers and learns about the people he left behind. Emmett's POV for Part 1.**

**Alice is freakin' loud. She is yelling at us to all come downstairs. I was just settling in to watch the Stanford game, too. Darn it. It sounds important, and Rosalie looks annoyed, so I'd better get a move on. I hurry down the stairs behind my wife, expecting some major drama to be unfolding. But no, this is unreal. Alice is sitting, fairly calmly, in a chair in the living room. Apparently, she has just had a vision, because Jasper is standing next to her, looking concerned. Edward is ambling in, pulling Nessie along with him. I feel Rosalie shifting her weight next to me; this usually means she is highly irritated. She is telling Alice to be quiet, that we can all hear her, and we are all here. I didn't see Esme and Carlisle come downstairs-they must've been behind us, and Bella, it looks like, has come in from outside. Must've been out there with Edward and the kid. I look at Alice, fighting back the urge to announce that I am going to miss kick-off, because the last time I did that, Rose wouldn't even look at me for about 16 hours straight. I shrug, frustrated, because everyone is taking forever to settle down. Finally, Jasper asks Alice what is going on. **

"**I just saw a new coven that moved into town, and I just wanted to let everyone know so we could be alert." Carlisle is nodding. He speaks. **

"**I was just going to call a meeting, actually. One of their members just started at the hospital; in Pediatrics. He's on my team; I just met him this morning before rounds. They're Stregoni; moved here from Indianapolis. It should be fine; they seem nice enough, and it's a small coven, just 3." Fantastic. Another coven. This should be fun. Last time that happened, Jasper freaked out for days. And Edward tried to meet them and almost got himself killed. I should tell that story to Bella. Oh, man, he just caught me. Look innocent. Wait, I just missed what Esme said, and I tell her this. She looks at me, annoyed, but repeats what she says. She just wanted everyone to be on their best behavior, on the off-chance we run into these vampires. No problem; I promise I won't eat them for breakfast, I say. Wrong thing to say; no one thought that was funny. Oh, well. I am SO missing the game; can we hurry this along? Stanford is playing USC and last week, it tied and I missed the winning touchdown because Rosalie decided to change her shirt right at that moment, and I was distracted. I WILL not miss it again. Oh, goody. We're done; Carlisle is shooing us out. I missed what he said, but who cares? I rush back upstairs and turn on the TV. Damn, it's already tied, 6-6. Stupid Alice and her visions. I sit, entranced, for the next hour and 45 minutes. It's a great game, and Stanford wins. I really need to get Alice involved in sports; we could make a killing if she was a bookie. Ok, I'm half-kidding, but in all seriousness, I need someone to watch ball with me. I sigh in satisfaction and flip off the TV in my bedroom as Rose comes in. **

"**How was the game?"**

"**Stanford won." She looks bored. I cross over and hug her. I really do love her, but I know sometimes I forget to show it well. She asks me to come with her to Target so she buy some sunglasses and maybe some flip-flops . I agree, reluctantly. We go downstairs, passing Esme on the way. I let her know we are leaving, but shouldn't be gone too long. I hurry down after Rosalie, who, for some reason is in a hurry. Must be Alice's influence, that girl can shop. Finally, I am in Rose's car (she won't ride in mine because she says it smells like gym socks) and we are flying down the road. I suggest she slow down, but she grimaces at me. When we arrive at the store, she parks expertly. I have to hand it to her; she IS a good driver. I tell her this. It makes her smile. I push the cart, trying to appear gentlemanly and as normal as possible, which is hard, because, after all, I am Emmett James Cullen, and I am a good-looking male specimen. Rosalie tosses some things in the cart; it appears to be laundry detergent. She catches my expression, and laughs. We chatter about Alice's vision, and she tells me about some silly thing Esme did that morning while I was watching the ball game. Rosalie tosses more crap in the cart. I learned a long time ago not to protest unless it is something I truly feel strongly about. Because I will lose. She finds the accessories department, and locates the kiosk with the sunglasses. She tries on a pair of white, Jackie-O style ones. She asks me how she looks. White is hard with her because she is pale and blonde. I tell her I prefer her in darker frames. She shrugs but selects a squarish black-rimmed pair with purple earpieces. They're cute, and she's cute in them. I tell her this, eliciting another smile. I love it when she smiles; she looks like a bunny rabbit and I just want to pick her up and cuddle her. We move on to the shoes. This is the worse part, even worse than the purses and tampon area, because I don't get shoes. I once made the mistake of informing her that she only needed three pairs-one casual, one pair of heels, and some boots for hunting. I thought she was going to kill me on the spot. So now I keep my mouth shut even though I really, really want to protest. Mercifully, she and Alice had just done a big shop, so she swears she is just here for a pair of flip-flops, and she knows which ones she wants. She showed them to me in a magazine last week, and I did my best to care. A little boy runs past us, then a woman, chasing him. I catch the familiar scent of vampire, as does Rose, because I sense her tensing. I put a hand on her back and whisper in her ear about the other coven. She relaxes, and we move on after she grabs the shoes she wanted. After a trip by the movies, for me-I want to get Full Metal Jacket because Bella hasn't seen it, and I can't find my copy and Jasper doesn't have it, we check out. As we are loading the bags into the back of the Jeep, the same little boy from earlier latches himself to Rosalie's leg. She looks at me, the question in her eyes-what do I do? I shrug; I don't know much about little kids. I love Nessie, but that's really the extent of it. A tall-ish brunette woman is running after him; I recognize her as the same woman from the shoes, but I can't see her face because she is fiddling with a cell phone. These are clearly the other vampires Carlisle and Alice mentioned, because I can smell them and Rosalie is about to go insane. She is calling the little boy "Hecky" and is bending down, prying his hands loose from Rose. Her voice is familiar, but I can't place it. She ties the boy's shoes, places him firmly on her hip, and stands up to face Rosalie. The familiar angles of her face and the color of her hair and the small scar above her left eyebrow cause me to gasp. Rosalie stops speaking and looks at me. The girl looks at me, then her mouth drops open. I am sure we look like idiots, and Rose is looking confused. I shake my head and speak. It is more of a question, and although I am fairly certain of the answer, I am unsure if I want to ask it. **

"**Julie?" The woman shakes herself into the present. She closes her mouth, then opens it again. Rosalie cuts her off. **

"**Emmett, what is going on?" I look at my wife, then back at Julie. I gesture. **

"**Rose, this is Julie. My sister." Rosalie looks like I just hit her. And like she might hit me. **

"**Are you kidding me? What do you mean, your sister?" She is talking fast; she is flustered. I haven't seen her like this in eons. I hate it. I shrug, my brain is like jell-o. I can't think clearly. A man has joined Julie, putting an arm around her waist, and smiling at us. Julie hasn't looked away from my face for a full two minutes. I speak, urgently. **

"**My sister. As in, my baby sister from my human family. From before. But, Jules, why are you here? And why do you smell funny?" Julie is looking like she saw a ghost, and also like she is about to vomit. The smile drops from the man's face, and his grip becomes less possessive and more protective. She breathes visibly, her shoulders shaking. **

"**I am here because Lyle just started at New Haven Memorial. I smell funny for the same reason you do; I'm a vampire. Why are YOU here? And who is she?' Julie gestures with her chin to Rose, who is gripping my hand really tightly, and still looks like she wants to deck me. **

"**I live here with my coven. Our father works at New Haven Memorial, too. He's a cardiologist. And, this is Rosalie. My wife." Rosalie, somehow, regains her composure, and smiles, but it's a tight smile, like she'd used with Bella before Bella was changed. A smile to indicate that she wasn't pleased, but merely tolerating something because it was important to someone else. She extended her right hand. The man pokes Julie in the ribs, who seems to be on autopilot. She grins at Rose and shakes her hand. Then, she speaks. **

"**I'm sorry. It's nice to meet you, Rosalie. Um, this is Lyle, my husband," she gestures to the man, then to the boy on her hip, "and this is Heck. Hector. My son." Her voice is the same as I remember; soft but high. I am able to function now, a tiny bit more. I look at her eyes; they used to be blue like mine, but now they are a dull brown. Her long hair is still light brown, with streaks of blonde in it. Her face is our mothers; it always was, but suddenly, I am aware of her beauty. She was always pretty, anyway, and being a Vampire has only helped. I glance at her outfit; she is dressed well, as far as I know of fashion from 50 odd years of Rosalie harassing me. She is wearing a soft pink sweater, blue jeans, and pink sneakers. On her left hand, a small diamond catches the sun. I realize we are still standing in the parking lot, at the back of the Jeep, and, even though it felt like we'd been standing there for a whole year, it had been just a few minutes. Something clicks in Julies mind, and her expression becomes stormy. Lyle notices, and he steps forward. **

"**Honey? I really don't think this is the place to discuss this right now. Let's go home, and you and I will talk. Perhaps Emmett and Rosalie would like to come over later?" I nod. He holds up a finger and says to hold on a minute. He literally pulls Julie to a car two spaces down from ours and sits her in it, taking Hector from her. He puts the boy, who has fallen asleep, on his hip, and comes back over. Rosalie closes the back of the Jeep and finds her keys in her purse. I am still standing like a ninny next to her. He hands me a piece of paper, where he has scribbled an address and phone number, along with a business card with a phone number. It is Julie's card, and I notice that her name is now Julie Worthington. Lyle Worthington. How cutesy. I thank him, and Rosalie ushers me into the car. Lyle apologizes for the "weirdness and Heck's behavior," and runs back to their car. A few moments later, he has Julie and Hector strapped in, and they are pulling out. No one waves. I sit in the Jeep, letting the experience wash over me. Rosalie's eyes are flashing; she is really upset. She hands me her cell phone and tells me to call Carlisle and ask him what to do. I say that we should wait until we get home. She yells at me to call. So I dial, with shaky hands. Esme answers on the first ring. I think she can tell something is up, because I am talking in low tones and her voice becomes instantly soothing. She tells me that Carlisle is home, but we should speak to him here, and that she could sit with me if I wanted. I relay this to Rosalie, who nods. I thank her, and hang up, but we pull into the driveway then anyway. Rosalie says to leave the bags in the car; this is odd, she hates clutter, especially in her car. She takes my hand, which indicates that while she is still upset, she is not necessarily angry. I kiss her hand, and she smiles faintly. We enter the house and I notice it is quiet. Esme calls to us from the study. I let Rosalie lead me to the study. Esme and Carlisle are seated in there; Esme looks concerned and Carlisle is sitting ramrod straight in his chair. I had told Esme the gist of what happened on the phone, but I didn't go into much detail. We sit in the chairs across from Carlisle's desk. I tell them the story, only leaving out my thoughts that the Lyle guy was a dweeb, but only because I am afraid of Rosalie when she is mad. Carlisle leans back in his chair, he seems to be thinking. Esme stands and hugs me. I am thankful, once again, for her motherly presence. Then she hugs Rose, who whispers something to her that I can't quite make out. Carlisle speaks. **

"**I'm sorry, Emmett. I have never heard of something like this happening before, although it is not outside the realm of possibility. What, um,-do you think you might pursue it further?" Rosalie takes my hand again and smiles at me. She has calmed down. I look at her, searching her face for her opinion. We should talk, too. I look back at Carlisle and nod. I speak out loud. **

"**I want to talk to her, at least once more. Just to see if she's OK, you know? I have a nephew. It's so weird. She's older; I don't know when she was changed, but she's not a teenager now. I'd like to hear about her life up to now." He nods. **

"**I think that's healthy. Would you like to have her and her family here?" I shake my head. **

"**No, her husband-what was his name?" I turn to Rose again. She answers- "Lyle"-and I continue. "Lyle invited us over there. He wrote their address. Do you think it'd be OK if we went this evening? I have her number, we can call ahead." Esme murmurs that that would be fine, and that we can call now, here, if I'd like, with everyone around. I nod, and fish the paper and business card out of my pocket, where I'd stuffed it. I took the phone that Carlisle pushed towards me and dialed a number. Lyle's voice answered. **

'**Hello, Lyle? This is Emmett Cullen. Yes. I'm doing better, thank you. Yeah, you mentioned talking this out? Oh, great. Tonight? Yes, that'd be fine. What time? No, no, 7:30 is great. See you then. Thank you. Bye." I sit back in my chair and look around. **

"**Um, we're going over at 7:30. He thought it might be a good idea if we chat all together, so Rose and I will be heading over." Rosalie nods at me. Carlisle shrugs, as if to say, OK, great, you're on the right track. Esme asks if I am OK, really. I assure her that I am. I excuse myself and Rosalie and we go upstairs. She closes the bedroom door quietly behind us. I sit down on the bed, but do not pull her down with me like I usually would. I let her sit down or do whatever. She sits down in the large armchair in the corner and looks out the window. She speaks to me. **

"**Emmett, I need to know that you never knew that your sister had been changed. And that she was coming here." I inhale. I get her gist. **

"**I swear to you, Rosalie. I had no idea." She nods, almost imperceptibly, and stands in front of me. I reach for her; I can't help it. I need her, and in this moment, it is all consuming. Not need in a sexual way, although that would be nice, but I need her to hug me and smile in her cute way and tell me that it'll be OK, and we'll work it all out. I also need her assurances that she still loves me and that I haven't messed up too badly. She senses this. She kisses my forehead and murmurs "I love you," and sinks into my arms. I kiss her cheek, and she wraps her arms around me, and finally whispers the words I need to hear- "Em, it'll be OK. We'll work this out. Esme and Carlisle will help us; you'll see, in the end, it'll all iron out." I exhale. I kiss her, full on this time, and she pulls away and laughs. She squeezes me, and I know I'm forgiven. We sit, facing each other a moment. She speaks again. **

"**Ok. That nephew of yours is so cute. Tell me we can take him on the weekends." I laugh.**

"**Whatever you want." I don't care; I'll let Rose baby-sit every day if she just doesn't kill me. "This is just the strangest thing ever." She nods, but takes my face in her hands and smiles at me. **

"**It is, but right now, we need to discuss what you're going to say tonight." I answer her. **

"**I just want to know two things-why and when she was changed, and what she's doing with her life. I noticed on her card it said she worked at a music school; she was always a good singer and could play piano well." Rose nods; I am still a tiny bit skeptical that she recovered so fast. I tell her this, and she smacks me with a pillow. She stands up and says she going to find Nessie, and leaves me alone. I flop backwards onto the bed, and begin to think. **

**End of Part 1.**


	2. Chapter 2

Always and Forever, Chap. 2-The Visit

Summary: Still Emmett's POV; we get some answers.

At a quarter after 7, Rosalie comes in the bedroom and changes her clothes. She looks at me, where I am still spread-eagle on the bed, my chest facing the ceiling and my head turned towards our dresser. I watch her dress, and smile to myself, thanking my lucky stars and whoever looks over Vampires that my wife is so gorgeous. She tosses a sweater at me and tells me to put it on. I sit up, sigh, and do as I am told. She looks at my khaki's. They're kind of wrinkly, but I have no intention of changing them. I tell her this. She rolls her eyes, but rummages around in her jewelry box, puts in her diamond studs and puts on some pink lipstick. As she is deciding between leaving her hair down or wearing a headband, I run a comb through my hair and double-check that I don't smell. I am still Emmett Cullen, hot piece of man meat. I look at her, and ask if she is ready. I notice that she chose to put half her hair up in a ponytail, and leave half down. I like the way her blonde hair fluffs around her shoulders, and I kiss her quickly. She says that she is ready, and I grab my keys while she starts to complain about my smelly car. I roll my eyes and tell her that I am driving and she can either stay or go, the choice is hers. She socks me in the arm, and I forget that she is strong-it kind of hurts. But she shuts up about my car and we get in and leave. She programs the address that Lyle had written down into my GPS system-a gift from Jasper and Alice, since Alice is constantly yelling at me to use a map-and we head back towards town. Apparently, they live at the opposite end of town than us, and outside the city limits. I chuckle to myself about the oddness of vampires, and listen to Rosalie chatter on about our next hunting trip-she wants to go with some friends of ours. I interject my opinion as appropriate, but I wonder if she realizes I am only half-listening. I pull into a long driveway as a large, gorgeous home comes into view. Rosalie is impressed, I know this because she says "Oh, my God. Oh, My God." It's her phrase for when she is impressed but doesn't want anyone else (but me, super-Emmett) to know. I smile to myself; maybe this Lyle isn't so bad, he can at least take care of my sister. I park behind a green Lemans ragtop convertible, and I contemplate taking a photo to show Alice, who loves hot rods. I decide against it, as the door flies open and Lyle is on the front porch. I notice that there is a cobblestone path to the front door and it is lined with flowers. I couldn't tell you the type; that's more Esme's domain, but they're sort of charming. The house itself is three stories; painted charcoal gray with mauve accents. I like it; it reminds me of my grandparent's home in Toledo, many years ago. Don't tell Edward, but I'm a Midwesterner, too, I say to Rose. Rosalie is already on the stoop, and Lyle shakes her hand and steps sideways to escort us inside. He is talking away; I half-listen to his commentary on the house, instead I am wondering if I just hadn't noticed his British accent before or if he was affecting it. I decide on the first option, and allow myself to be escorted into a well-appointed sitting room. Rosalie gushes that Esme would love the room-I realize she is probably right. The walls are painted in a muted beige, and the furniture is simple, conservative, and light colored. I sit, uncomfortably, on a loveseat. Rose sits next to me. I can hear Julie telling Heck to go upstairs to his bedroom, and to please put on a video and wait quietly, as they will be discussing "adult stuff." I find myself wanting badly to be watching videos with Hector instead of going through this. I complement Lyle on his shirt; he changed clothes, too. Earlier, he'd had on a T-shirt that read "Duke" and some grey sweatpants, and now he was wearing freshly-pressed khakis (damn, I should've asked Esme to press mine. Rose is crap at laundry.) and a blue button-down with a green and blue striped sweater vest. Julie calls for him from the other room. He excuses himself, and I can hear them conversing. Rosalie squeezes my hand again, and Lyle pokes his head around the door. Clearly, he is the go-between; our Switzerland, and yet, I find myself grateful for his calm presence. I wonder if he is pulling a Jasper; I will have to find out what kind of powers, if any, these vampires have. He says that Jules has changed her mind, she wants to chat in the other room, he says it's less formal. We stand and follow him down a hallway to what appears to be the den. Julie is there, sitting on a leather couch, and I find myself wanting to run over and sit by her, to take her hands in mine and tell her we'll work it all out. I don't, though, but sit on an identical leather sofa, and Rosalie sits next to me. Julie has also changed her clothes, she is wearing something similar to Rose: a black sweater, black pants and black shoes. Her brown hair is down, falling in waves around her shoulders, and her brown eyes are shining. I smell Pine-sol and Clorox, which makes me smile-our mother was the same way. Whenever company came, she'd scrub the floors with pine-sol and wipe the bathroom down with bleach. Lyle takes a place next to Julie on the couch. She takes his hand in hers, and he pulls her closer to him. They obviously have a strong bond; I liken it to Jazz and Alice, who are really close, or to Esme and Carlisle. I love Rose, but I fear that at any moment, she'll meet, like, some really awesome vampire dude and I'll be totally toast. I really want to hate Lyle, but I can't. He is disarmingly nice, and he clearly loves Julie. Julie speaks, and I immediately snap to attention.

"Emmett. Rosalie. Thank you for coming. I apologize for my earlier behavior; I was thrown for a loop. I was also embarrassed by my son; I want to assure you that he doesn't normally attach himself to strangers in public. I guess he knew before I did." I nod and murmur something about it being OK. Rosalie just nods once and says that it's not a problem. Julie continues.

"So, Emmett. I guess this is the part where you get to ask me questions." I nod, and say that actually I only have two. She looks relieved. I glower, but continue. I ask her if she is Ok. She smiles and stares at the wall. It is a moment before she answers.

"I think so. I mean, I'm happy, if that's what you mean. Lyle is super; I love him deeply and he treats me well. I have Hector, and that brings me joy. We have this house, and our cat, Mouse. I am very blessed. However, I am not overjoyed to be having THIS conversation." I snort in agreement, and Rosalie practically decks me. She continues. "But I was upset earlier. I mean, do you have any idea what you left behind? What am I talking about? Of course not; I know why you couldn't, but you have to realize that things just fell apart at home. I will tell you the story of how I came to be a Vampire if you wish. I warn you, though, it's a bit gruesome. Lots of blood and guts." I motion that she should continue, and she pauses, as though she is considering how much to say. She takes a breath, and begins. "When you…went missing, they told us that you were likely eaten to bits by a bear, and that's why there was no body. Mom and Dad took it pretty rough; by the time it was my turn to start high school, they'd split, and I was sent to Aunt Polly's. I know that you were in college, and doing whatever it is college boys do, but I don't know if you realized how much I needed you at home, and then you went and died, and it was all I could do not to join you. Anyway, I was sent to Aunt Polly, and I started school there, in Columbus. I did well the first year, but then I fell in with a bad crowd, and starting smoking dope, and drinking a lot. It was like that through all of High School; oftentimes I'd wake up behind the barn and not remember how I got there. Amazingly, I was able to graduate with a decent enough GPA to get into Swarthmore. I wanted to study music and public policy. I made it to Pennsylvania, and I think the stress of college, combined with the pain of loss, made for a really bad combo, because I was partying more and more. One night, I was leaving a party, and I was really too drunk to be driving, but of course, I had the mindset that it was OK; after all, I'd done it before and since I lived on campus, it was a short drive from the house where the party was to my dorm. Well, I am not sure what happened exactly, but I wrapped my car around a tree. Remember the old Camaro's? They didn't have seat belts, so of course, I was thrown out the window. I was lying there, bloody and drunk, on the asphalt. I was for sure going to die, when along came Lyle, who of course, smelled the blood and came to investigate. I told him that I was sure to be dying; it was very white all around me, and quite calm. Then, of course, he gathered me up, took me to his home where he bit me, and that all changed. So that is the story, in a nutshell, about how I became a vampire. It's really that simple. God, I was stupid. But it was fun. Anyhow, I checked in on Mom and Dad sometimes. Mom did better for awhile, but after I went missing, she basically went crazy from then on. Dad remarried, a little while later, and has a new family. They live in Montana and raise goats or lambs or some such nonsense. Patrick joined the church, as expected. Brian married that girl-the horsy one-Mary Anne Wilson-and they had three kids. We are now a great-aunt and uncle. I spent the first year of my Vampire life living with Lyle and his coven in Toledo, and then I defected and went to Europe for a bit. I came back and went to school; to Duke, with Lyle again; he was so much the sweet, steady Lyle. I got a BA in music and he went to medical school. We married a few years ago. Hector is a half-blood; we took him from one of Lyle's coven mates who was a Succubus. But you know me, I've always wanted a child, and his mother wasn't able to care for him properly. She's gone now, anyway, so it'd have fallen to us sooner or later. Anyway, Lyle just took a position in Pediatric Cardiology at New Haven Memorial. If I had had any idea that you and your coven lived here, I'd have nixed the whole thing." She sighed then. Lyle had been listening intently, looking at the ground when she discussed how he'd changed her, and now he was rubbing her back gently, as though she was ill and he was comforting her. I stand and cross over to where she is sitting, and take one of her hands. I tell her that if I had realized she was suffering, I would have certainly at least have sent a note. She laughed and said that that would have likely creeped her out more, and it was better this way. Then she asked me to tell her about my beginnings as a Vampire, and I told her how I'd gone hunting with friends on a long weekend during college, as she'd said, but I accidently shot myself in the chest and was bleeding badly, and my friends had left to get help. While they were gone, Rosalie had come along and smelled me and the blood, and had scooped me up and taken me to Carlisle, and it was smooth sailing from there. I told her about being a vegetarian, which she said wasn't news, that she'd heard that a clan of vegetarian Stregoni's lived here, too, and that they were, so they assumed it wouldn't be a problem. Rosalie is watching the scene with a great deal of interest, and Julie stands up and then flops on the couch next to her and takes her hand. Rosalie is a little taken aback; she is unused to people being so forward, and I say that it is the Midwestern way, which garners a laugh from Rose. Julie says that she's always wanted a sister, and her and Rose begin to chatter away. I listen for a few minutes; Julie is telling Rosalie about me when I was a kid. I hope she skips the embarrassing stuff. I try to make small talk with Lyle when Hector comes in, asking for another video. Julie calls him over to her, and lifts him into her lap between her and Rosalie. He looks at her.

"What, mommy?"

"Honey, mommy wants you to meet some people. I don't want to frighten you, but this is your Uncle Emmett. It's mommy's brother from the human world. Remember we talked about the two worlds we live in? Well, he and his family lived here before we moved here. You know that Daddy works at the hospital? Well, he works with Emmett's…father. OK? Do you understand what I am talking about?"

"I think so. Who's that?" He points at Rosalie.

"Your aunt Rosalie. Please say hello."

"Hello. Why does Emmett have a father and you don't, if he's your brother?"

"The human world, Heck. We had the same father in the human world, remember I showed you the pictures?"

"Oh, yeah. So he has a vampire daddy, but you don't ?" Everyone laughs.

"Something like that." He climbs off Julie's lap and walks over to me. He picks up my hand and asks if want to see his baseball stuff and his dinosaurs. Rosalie nods. I stand and follow him up the stairs. Julie watches us, smiling.

"Well, that went better than I expected," I could hear her say to Rosalie. I try to act impressed and surprised at Heck's little league uniform and his toy dinosaurs. His room is decorated in a sports theme, and I decide that maybe we can be friends if he will watch ball with me sometimes. After a half-hour, I tell Heck that I should probably go downstairs, because his Aunt Rose and I need to go home. He looks a little sad, but I tell him I'll come over again, and I plan to, unless Rose kills me before then. Or Carlisle or Esme. I troop down the stairs and find the ladies in the living room, poring over a shoebox of old photographs. I notice that they are old photographs of our old lives from before, and I am upset. I say so, and Julie nods.

"I'm sorry, Emmett. I should have asked. I don't mean to intrude on you or your life. It sounds like things are going well for you. I just thought Rosalie would appreciate seeing who you were before you became one of us." I nod.

"No, it's all right. I don't why it bothered me before." I turn and follow Lyle's scent into the kitchen, where he is sitting at the table, engrossed in a file folder. He either hears or smells me, because he tells me to sit down, but doesn't look up. He sighs, and puts the file away.

"Sorry, while the ladies were chatting, I thought I could do some work. So, did Heck talk your ear off? He's like Julie; he gets so excited when new people come over. Look, I wanted to talk to you, guy to guy. Julie is kind of fragile; I wanted to see what you were thinking about this in terms of the big picture. Is having any kind of relationship with your sister something you want? Maybe spending time with Heck? Because I really love Julie and Hector, and I couldn't stand it if they were hurt."

"I don't want to hurt anyone, but I don't really know yet. I will, of course, need to discuss things with Rose and my family. I would like to have some kind of relationship, of course, but I don't know how it will look yet." He nods at me.

"Jolly good. If you don't mind, I need to go upstairs and put Heck to bed and do some work. Your father is a bloody good doctor, but keeps me quite busy." I laugh.

"I understand. Don't let me keep you." I stand up to get Rose to go home. I find her with my old football team picture, and a memory fills my head of the time I scored a touchdown to tie the homecoming game my Junior year. It was an awesome moment, and for a second, I am filled with strange emotions I don't fully understand. She looks up and tells me that Julie went upstairs to kiss Heck good night. I ask her if she's ready to go, and she says she is. Julie comes back downstairs, and I tell her that we have to go home. She kisses me on the cheek and smiles. She shows us to the door, and waves as we leave.

Esme is waiting for us when we get home; in fact, it is quite likely she never left her post by the door. She is sometimes oddly worried about all of us, even though I remind her we are vampires and not much is going to harm us. She usually just smiles at me and nods, and sometimes it's annoying, but I generally like Esme and I am grateful for her mother-hen personality. I smile at her, and Rose sits on the stairs next to her.

"How was it?"

"It went fine, actually. Really well. Apparently, Lyle is British, and works for Carlisle." Rose interjects.

"She showed me photos of Emmett from before; Esme, you wouldn't have believed it. He was so smart and good looking." Esme laughs. Rose continues. "And their son is soo cute. I want to spend more time with him. He's just so smart and adorable. He plays baseball on the little league team in town, apparently, so Em has someone to watch games with, besides Jasper." It's my turn to laugh. It did go well, and I see Esme has visibly relaxed.

"I think I should tell the others soon. If Edward hasn't already figured it out, that is." Esme shakes her head.

"No, actually, I don't think anyone noticed you were gone except for Carlisle. Would you like to call a family meeting, or just tell everyone on your own?"

"Family meeting, then I can do it in one fell swoop."

"Ok. Let's get everyone. I'll go find Carlisle." She turns and flies up the stairs. I ask Rose to get Alice and Jasper and I go off to find Bella and Edward. I find them outside with Nessie, and tell them there's a family meeting. They come in, reluctantly. We gather in the sitting room, where Rose has assembled Jasper, Alice, Carlisle, and Esme. They settle in, and I clear my throat as Rose holds my hand, and rests her head on my shoulder. It is odd for us to be PDA; it's not our style. I close my eyes for a second, and mentally prepare myself.

"Ok, so something happened today that I wanted to discuss with, um, everyone. Wow, this is a hard thing to tell people, especially when it's you people." Rose interrupts.

"Honey, I think it's best to just tell them."

"Right. The new coven that just moved to town, you know? Well, the female in the coven is my sister. Like, my actual sister, from before. We, uh, ran into them shopping this morning. Rose and me, I mean." Jasper is looking flabbergasted, and Alice mutters "Holy Mother of God." Edward looks at Carlisle, who is looking at ME. I shrug and nod. Bella is looking a little confused, and Nessie-well, she is just quiet. Rosalie speaks for me.

"Then, tonight, we met them, at their home. They seem really nice; Emmett's sister is Julie, and they have a son-a half-blood like Nessie. His name is Hector. He's 5, and completely adorable." Jasper splutters.

"You WENT there? Alone?" I roll my eyes. Jasper isn't the only vampire who can handle himself. I tell him this, and he looks annoyed. Alice asks me if there is anything she can do, and I just ask her if she could just be here if I and Rose need her. She nodded. Esme spoke up.

"Emmett, would you like to have them over?"

"Maybe. I told Lyle, that's Julie's husband, that I would think about it and get back to him when I made a decision. Rosalie and I should talk this through, and, of course, there's things I need to come to terms with, I think. "

"Of course."

"But yeah, I just wanted you all to know, so in case we run into them or something, it won't be so weird." Alice rolls her eyes and speaks.

"Oh, it'll be weird anyway. Carlisle, what are the odds this would happen?" I interject something that Hector told me.

"The odds, in fact, are one in ten million five." She gapes at me.

"Alrighty then." It is silent for a few moments, and then Edward stands up.

"Well, this has been awkward, but I'm glad for you; if this is a good thing. Please excuse me, I need to put Ness to bed." He scoops up the baby and flies off towards the stairs. I have a feeling he his reading my truest thoughts and seeing the fear and uncertainty, and I am grateful he didn't say anything more. I ask if anyone has anymore questions, and no one except Carlisle does, but he tells me that we can chat in private, which sort of freaks me out, and then excuses everyone. Carlisle asks me to follow him upstairs, and I tell Rose she can come if she wants. She shrugs, and I shake my head. It's not that I don't want her along, just that I don't want to stress her out more. She nods, and bounds off after Alice. I go upstairs to Carlisle's study, where he is sitting, patiently waiting. I knock on the open door, and he waves me in. I sit in the chair across from his desk, and try to arrange my face to be neutral. I indicate that he should begin. He hesitates for a second, but then begins.

"Emmett, I just wanted to, first, apologize to you again. This is a horrible way to have your…first life thrown in your face. Please know that Esme and I are here to help you, and Rosalie, in whatever way you need us to, just let us know." I nod.

"Thank you." He smiles lightly, and continues.

"I just wanted to see if you felt that it would be uncomfortable for you to have me working with Lyle Worthington; you know, being in such close proximity, family talk is bound to come up, and I can arrange it so he can switch teams if it makes you uncomfortable. Since we're not technically related, I suppose it's not against the rules, but I do plan to speak with Dr. Worthington on Monday. I just wanted your opinion." I consider what he is saying.

"No, Carlisle, whatever you feel you have to do professionally is fine, but as far as I'm concerned, you can make him the chief of surgery. Besides, he seems to enjoy working for you; he indicated that he respected you, but that you keep him busy." Carlisle chuckles.

"Well, I guess that is OK with me, then."

"Anything else?" He shakes his head. I stand to leave, and mumble a thanks on my way out. I can feel him staring after me as I bound down the hallway to find Rosalie, but I don't turn back. I find Rose and Alice sitting in the library, and Rose is telling Alice about the photos that Julie had shared with her, and about their house. Rosalie is impressed, I can tell, because while she is hardly ever openly hostile, she is usually passive-aggressive; making positive comments but then following it up with something negative or a little mean. She doesn't do this now, though. Just tells Alice everything exactly as it happened. I am a bit surprised by this; I know that Rose usually doesn't intend to be mean or rude, and it's a coping mechanism that she uses, but I don't know what's different now. Perhaps because Julie and Julie's life is a part of me, and so a part of her? I don't know. I wish in this moment to be like Edward, just to know truly what Rose is thinking. Rose smells me standing there, because she looks up at me and smiles. I excuse myself to Alice, mostly because Rosalie would kill me if I was less than polite, and she nods. I ask Rosalie if we can talk, alone, and she tells me of course we can, and suggests we go for a drive so that certain people can't hear our conversation. Alice tosses her head, but I nod, and Rosalie produces her keys from the pocket of her pants. She is still wearing the outfit she'd worn to Julie's that evening. She pulls me out of the house, into the garage, and we climb in the Jeep. She drives a few miles out to a clearing between our property and town, and then pulls over. I put a hand on her shoulder, and she smiles up at me, then gives me a kiss. I smile and sigh. She places her head on my shoulder and pats my other arm.

"Emmett, are you OK?"

"I'm a little mixed up, actually. A lot of things happened tonight; like, I realized she looks like our mother, and me, and the pine-sol smell reminded me of how our mother would scrub the tile in the kitchen and then wipe down the guest bathroom with bleach, and the two smells mingling would indicate that company was coming, so that was odd. And when she showed you the picture of me playing football, it brought back the memory of how I scored the tying touchdown for the homecoming game my senior year, and then we won that night. The scar on her head is from me, too, actually. We were playing street hockey; dang, I must've been only seven or eight, I guess, and Julie would've been five or six. Anyway, I was losing to Derek Peterson, and I hated him, so I got mad, and started to use the hockey stick more like a baseball bat. I forgot that Julie was standing behind me, and she got the hockey stick right in the eye. Boy, was I in trouble that day. I can't believe her scar didn't go away when she was changed. And I wanted to hit Lyle for a moment when Julie told us how he changed her, but then I realized that it's like that for all of us, and I didn't. Then all the talk about Aunt Polly, and my cousin Mike's camaro almost killing her. It's just…" I let out a breath. "And their house is painted like our grandmother's house in Toledo was. We're from Cincinnati, by the way, but you met me in DC because I was going to Duke. But you knew that, sorry. Anyway, I wonder if she planned it, or if they just bought that house like that. Either way, it's odd. I want to see her some more, Rose, if that's OK with you. I mean, I don't want to cause you stress, because I love you. What would you do if you were me?" I realize I start to ramble towards the end; this is the first time in a long while I have released a lot of emotion, and it's hard. She shifts in her seat, and pulls her head from my shoulder. She shrugs, and sighs.

"Honestly, sweets. I don't know what I'd do. I'd probably freak out. You're doing swell, I think. What did Carlisle want?"

"He wanted to see if it was OK that they were working together. It is, of course."

"Ok. It's fine with me if you see Julie again. I would like to know her some more. What do you remember of her?"

"When I left for college, she was finishing the eighth grade, and she had begun to have boys come by to take her to dances, which freaked me out. I made it my duty to look after her, since we were the closest in age. I think she hated it then, but I wonder if she'd remember it now? Anyway, at the time, she was big into Audrey Hepburn, I remember, and had a thing for Carey Grant. She always liked the pretty boys, which explains Lyle, I guess. They seem close." Rosalie murmurs an agreement. I continue. "Physically, of course, she was a girl, slowly becoming a woman, and I think that's what scared me most of all, was that I was a teenaged boy, and so I knew all about what teenaged boys wanted, and I didn't want my baby sister corrupted by some Dexter with a boner in the backseat of his car, you know?" Rose laughs heartily at this statement. I laugh, too. "But I wish I'd found her sooner; I would've liked to have given her my blessings with Lyle, and seen their wedding, seen how they were before and after marriage, supported her with Hector, you know?" Rosalie nods.

"Say, Em. Let's ask Esme if we can watch Hector sometime this week. I'd bet your sister would love a night out with Lyle, alone." I smile and nod.

"OK, I would be fine with that. Let's go back home; there's a showing of the '88 World Series on tonight. Dodgers at Oakland; it was a heck of a game." Rosalie rolls her eyes, but sits up, refastens her belt, and turns the car around. When we get home, I go down to the basement to watch the game with Jasper, and Rosalie bounds off, most likely to talk to Esme. I sit, entranced by the game, but by halftime, my thoughts had turned to the evening, and I stand up to find Rosalie, Esme and Carlisle. I find them sitting in the living room, and Alice has joined them. They are talking animatedly, and I can pick up snippets of their conversation. They are talking about me, and my visit with Julie. Esme is giving Rosalie her consent to invite Hector over, but reminds her to discuss it with me. I walk over and say that it's OK; that I want them over and I want to spend time with Hector. Esme and Carlisle nod and tell me that Wednesday or Thursday would work, if that was OK with me. I agree, and tell them that the next day I will call Julie and make the arrangements.

Three Days Later

It is Wednesday evening, and Hector will be arriving to stay with us for a few hours, while his parents go to a movie. The house is buzzing with both excitement and activity; Alice and Jasper are in the basement, sorting through our extensive collection of board games, puzzles, and cards, putting out a few they'd thought the boy might like. Edward and Bella are on hand to help me and Rosalie if we wanted to take the half-blood children out somewhere. Esme is buzzing around, straightening up the already-immaculate house, and Rosalie is cutting up fruit for the boy to eat, and is also feeding some to Nessie. I am pacing the living room, stopping every so often to worry to Esme.

"What if he cries? Or if he doesn't like us?" She sighs.

"Well, if he cries, we try to soothe him. I think he'll like us; he already appears to like you." I nod. I pace some more. I am thinking, worrying, wondering if I am capable of this. I say this to Esme, who is visibly trying not to throw the dusting rag at me.

"You watch Nessie all the time. It's the same thing. You'll be fine, and we'll all be here, just in case. Carlisle will be home in about 10 minutes, so it'll be all hands on deck. Don't worry. Try to relax, OK?" She hugs me, and I make a point of trying to calm down. A few minutes later, Carlisle comes home. He drops his briefcase and jacket in his study, and comes downstairs. Right after that, the doorbell rings, and almost instantly, the whole family is in the living room. I stand up to answer the door, and Esme is standing behind me. I let Julie, Lyle, and Hector in, and they stand in the foyer, smiling. Julie seems a little shy, but Hector is waving to Rosalie. My brain is foggy again, but luckily, Rosalie is at my side in a second, nudging me in the ribs and suggesting I introduce everyone. Like the total idiot I am, I smile and nod. I indicate Esme and Carlisle.

"Julie, Lyle. These are my parents, Carlisle and Esme." Julie steps forward to greet them, and Lyle, who already knows Carlisle, shakes Esme's hand. They are both smiling at my parents, and seem to be handling this better than I am. I pull myself together and continue.

"This is Alice, and Jasper. Edward, and Bella, and their daughter, Nessie. You remember Rosalie?" The nod, and shake hands in turn as I introduce my siblings. Julie speaks to Esme, commenting that she didn't realize just how large our family was, and that it must be a fun yet crazy time raising so many children. Esme smiles and replies in kind. Lyle is in conversation with Carlisle about something medical, and then Julie turns to me, and pushes Hector over.

"Ok, Emmett. He's had a late lunch, so he won't need a major meal, but if he wants a snack, he has some apple slices in his backpack," she indicated the backpack with Disney superheroes on it, "and if you could just make sure he drinks some water, that'd be great. He was outside a lot at school today, I guess. Um, he has some of his toys and books in there as well. If you could try to get him to change into his PJ's at 7:30, he can go straight to bed when we get home. We shouldn't be too late; the movie starts in a half-hour; they do old movies on the side of the Museum at the University, and then we may get a drink, we'll see. He has his emergency cell phone in his pocket; it has our numbers, as well as the pediatrician, poison control, and Lyle's parent's number in it. I think that's all. Oh, just in case of a really huge emergency, I also gave him the spare house key. I think that's all you need to know." I am taking this in, trying to memorize everything she said. She kneels in front of Heck, and tells him to be on his best behavior, and to please listen to the adults. He nods, and looks seriously at her, and gives her a hug. She seems to be struggling with leaving him, and I assure her we'll be fine. Hector agrees, and she reluctantly stands.

"Sorry, I know I sound nuts. It's just the first time we've left him alone for any length of time. Ok, Heck. Daddy and I will pick you up before 9, OK? Public manners, please. Have fun, and call me or Daddy if you need anything, Ok, sweetie?" To me, she says, "Do you need me to write down our numbers again? Like I said, we'll be at the University for an hour-and-a-half; they're playing "The Philadelphia Story", and I LOVE Cary Grant. But you already know that. Anyway, I appreciate the gesture; I don't think Lyle and I have been to a movie that wasn't rated G in ages, so thank you. And you, too, Rosalie." I tell her that I still have her number, that we'll be fine, and that she is welcome to take her time. Lyle suggests gently that they should leave, and whisks her out the door before she can freak out. I let out a breath, but notice that most of the others had drifted away. I think Esme is close by, but I can't actually see her, so I am not sure. I smile at Heck and asks if he wants to meet everyone. I introduce him to the family, and then Rose and I take him downstairs to play. We play a few rounds of Go Fish before he announces that he is hungry. We troop upstairs, and Rosalie takes him to the kitchen, where she has put the plate of fruit and veggies in the fridge. She hands it to him, and we sit at the table as he eats, and we talk. He tells me about school, and I am surprised to discover that he is in the first grade, and his favorite subject is science. He is learning to write, he says, and he loves his music teacher. He tells me about a girl at school who he says has cooties, and that she tickles him but he doesn't like it, and Rose and I laugh. He tells me that he is playing kickball at school, and likes the monkey bars at recess. Then he asks me if I go to work like his mom and dad. I glance at Rose, who shrugs. I notice that Esme has come into the kitchen, trying to oversee in her way, but also trying to give us space. I look at her, and she nods.

"No. I don't know how much your mom and dad have told you, but even though I am technically 59, I am really only 18. So our public story is that I go to high school. It sounds a little funny, huh?" He looks serious again, but nods.

"Yeah, my dad's sister is really 104, but she's 14 in human years, so she goes to high school, too. They live in Jacksonville now." I nod.

"Great. I'm glad you understand."

"Are you and aunt Rose married?" The women chuckle.

"Yes, technically."

"Do you have any children?" I laugh and shake my head.

"No. The type of Vampire that Rose and I are can't have children." She looks a little startled; we've never openly acknowledged it out loud before. He shrugs.

"Sorry. My mom and dad can't have any, either. But I like being an only child, anyway. Mommy spends time with me." I smile and nod. He is a strange child; very open about things. I ask about their cover story, and he sighs and responds in an automatic, robotic voice.

"I am Hector Worthington, and my parents are Dr. Lyle and Julie Worthington. He is a cardiologist, and she's a music teacher. We live at 536 Pelican Way. I am 8 and in the fourth grade, and we are a normal American family. My cat's name is Mouse and I play baseball on the Jr. Giants team in town. Plus, I am not allowed to mention vampires in public, not even jokingly." I smile. Apparently, he gets it, which is fantastic. He's very smart, and Esme is impressed. He finishes his snack, and Esme hands him some water. He smiles largely at her.

"Thank you, Mrs. Cullen." He downs it as she chuckles.

"Please, call me Esme."

"My parents say I can only call adults by Mr. or Mrs."

"I'm sure they'll understand. Let's talk to them tonight, OK?" He nods, but looks unconvinced. I shrug at Esme. Esme takes his plate and glass and shoos out of the kitchen. Heck takes my hand and asks if we can watch a basketball game on TV that he wanted to see. Cha-ching. I nod, but Rosalie rolls her eyes, and mouths "it starts." We go to the living room, and are quickly joined by Jasper, Edward , and Carlisle. Rosalie is sitting with us, and we sit in silence, watching the Lakers at the Warriors, the men cheering when their team scores. I notice after about 45 minutes that Hector is quiet, and I look over and find him curled up against Rose, sleeping. She looks at me with a raised eyebrow, and I smile back. I hope she's going to be OK, and that having Heck around isn't going to make her sad, like when Ness was born. Around 8:30, the doorbell rings, and I hear Esme answering it. It is Julie and Lyle, come to pick up Hector. Esme leads them into the living room, where he is still fast asleep on Rose. Julie smiles at me, as I pick up an odd but familiar scent. Julie wears the same perfume she used to way back when. Odd. As she scooped Hector from Rose, thanking her profusely, Lyle stuck his hand out to shake mine. I shake his hand and fill Julie in on the evening.

"So, I'm sorry he didn't get his pajama's on, but he did eat, and we got him to drink something. We played some cards. He was really a good kid." She smiles at me.

"Thank you. It's all right; he seems so tired tonight. I wonder what that's about. Anyway, thank you both so much. I appreciate the time away. Was he on his best behavior?"

"Of course," said Rose.

"Fantastic. Dang, he's heavy these days. Mom's getting too old to carry him around. Thanks again." Julie is starting to ramble on. Lyle, who I have come to figure out is the calmer of the two, swoops her out of the house with a "Thank you, mate" and they pull away. I sigh a huge sigh of relief, and turn to Rose.

"Well, that went well." She smiles at me.

"Yes, it did. Let's go upstairs, I'm feeling like we need some alone time ourselves." I waggle an eyebrow at her, and she laughs and we troop upstairs.

A few days later, Julie calls my cell, inviting me to Heck's first baseball game. I call her back, telling her I would love to and Rose wants to come, too, and actually, so does Jasper. She calls me back saying that that would be great, and leaves directions to the one ball field in town, which takes everything I have to not point out to her, but Rose says that if we're playing phone tag, she's likely busy and distracted, so I should leave her alone. I do, and that Friday evening, Rose, Jasper, Alice, who's taking a sudden interest in my sister, and I all troop over to the ballpark. When we show up, Heck runs over to us, decked out in his uniform, and hugs me tight.

"Hi, guys. Come on, let me show you were Mom is sitting." He pulls me over to the bleachers, and Julie stands, waving. She is still wearing what I presume to be her work clothes, or else she dresses up for everything, because she is wearing a navy-blue pantsuit and pink shirt. Alice comments that she likes Julie's shoes, and as we climb the bleachers, I comment back that she should tell her that. She does, loudly. I grimace at her, but Julie laughs and shouts back a thanks. We find the row that Julie is standing in front of, and we sit, Alice, then Julie, then me, then Rose. Jasper can't decide if he wants to sit by Alice or Rose, but opts for Alice, since Rose and him are fighting. Not that it isn't Jasper's fault, Rose did say she wanted to use the washing machine after Bella, but Jasper stuck his and Alice's stuff in there first. But it's still a stupid thing to fight about. Julie is talking animatedly to Alice, apparently about shoes, and I roll my eyes. A moment later, Jasper interrupts, and Julie turns to me.

"Wow, I didn't realize you were going to bring everyone." She grins.

"I hope it's OK."

"It's totally fine, although the other mom's are giving me a wide berth. Anyway, poor Heck isn't very athletic, so they stick him in the outfield, but he tries hard. I don't know if he plays because he thinks that's what 8 year old boys are supposed to do, or if he truly likes it, but whatever. I learned long ago not to question most things. Especially with my boys." I chuckle at this, but mull this over in my head; it's kind of like me and Rose with the shopping. She continues.

"But like I said, he tries hard. I try to be here as much as I can, and usually Lyle and I take turns, but he is on call tonight." I nod.

"Maybe I can give him a few pointers."

"Maybe. Just as long as you don't teach him to play field hockey, it's all good." Rose and I both laugh.

"Oh, good. You've told her the story. I still can't handle field hockey to this day." I chuckle again, but the game starts. We watch and cheer, and Alice and Jasper chat with Julie, and I listen in as I can. At halftime, Heck comes over and asks me if I can take him to the food court, and I do. I think Julie is slightly annoyed, but I shrug at her. She smiles and nods, though, so I go. I hear her tell Rosalie that she doesn't mean to feel upset, that she's glad we're bonding, but it's odd to not have Heck want her. I wonder if this is moving a bit too fast, but I shrug it off. When Heck has his hot dog and water, which I think is disgusting, but Julie says is his favorite, so I don't say a word. I find my way back to the bleachers after dropping Heck off at the dugout, and notice that dusk is falling quickly. That's better; Esme was fretting that all of us together would make a scene if darkness fell late. The game is currently tied, and sure enough, when Hector's team is at bat, his poor co-ordination and general lack of skill are apparent. But Julie claps and cheers just as hard for him as for the other kids, and it strikes me as sort of odd that she is so close to this child that's not even actually hers. Esme tried to explain it to me when Rose was being weird during Bella's pregnancy, but I don't think I quite get it. I chalk it up to a woman's thing and move on. Julie is saying something to me.

"Earth to Emmett?"

"What? Sorry." She raises an eyebrow at me, but continues.

"I was just asking if you're having fun, and that it means a lot to Hector that you came. He had a really fun time the other night, and he was having a hard time adjusting to New Haven; it's a lot different from California."

"I am having fun. And I'm glad you invited me. I like Heck."

"Great. I thought you'd enjoy the ball game, although Rose doesn't seem to be having the best time."

"She'd rather play than watch."

"Me, too. Do you remember when dad took us to the Indian's game? It was just us kids and him, and I remember sticking out like a sore thumb; the lone girl with all these guys. But you told me all the rules and bought me a soda. I remember that was the first time I could appreciate a sport."

"I don't remember that, sorry."

"It's all right; you've been changed longer than me. Someday I'll probably lose it, too. But I remember thinking in that moment that you were my favorite brother. You always treated me like an equal, and not like a dainty girl or a baby. I hope you know I always admired that." She looks at me for a moment, then looks away.

"Sorry, Em. I've embarrassed you." I notice that the others are quiet, but are trying not to stare. Shoot. I look at Alice, who's smiling at the ground, and at Rose, who is nodding at me.

"No, no. It's OK." I look away quickly, and when I look back at her, she's looking out at the field, smiling and waving to Heck, who is at bat. He is able to bunt the ball and scores a run, but the rest of the team strikes out, and the game proceeds in pretty much the same fashion for next 45 minutes. Hector's team loses, but the game is close, 5-7. He trips over to us, clutching his mitt and some cookies, and we congratulate him. Julie kisses him and tells him he did great, but he tells her not to kiss him in public.

"Sorry. Are you too cool for a hug, though, tough guy?" He looks sheepish, and we can all tell he's hurt her feelings. I murmur that it's not cool for guys when you're 8, but Heck apologizes, and lets her hug him, and then Rose hugs him, too. Julie ruffles his hair and we all troop down to our cars. Julie and Heck head for the Lemans, and Alice starts geeking out, gushing about the car. Julie laughs and said that it's the only crazy thing she's spent money on ever, and that she fell in love with it when her and Lyle lived in Texas. She's claims it's totally impractical as a mom car, but she feels young and hot when she drives it, and Alice agrees, which causes Jasper to poke her in her ribs. Everyone gets in the car, and Heck straps himself into the back seat, where he is fiddling with what looks like a Gameboy, and I cross over to Julie. I take her small hands in my large one, and kiss her cheek. She looks shocked, and a little scared.

"Don't worry. I just wanted to apologize for earlier; you really didn't embarrass me, I'm just not used to expressing my feelings. Even with Rose, and it's been 58 years. But I wanted to say that-um-ok, that you're my sister, and no matter what happens, I've loved you for forever, and now, it looks like I can love you for always. If you want me to, that is. Yeah." I stammer because I am embarrassed and uncomfortable now. She smiles and kisses my cheek.

"Me, too. Look, this is totally weird, but we'll make it work somehow. Just never forget that your family, all of it-vampire or otherwise-is what makes you who you are. I love you, Emmett, but I don't want to make this weird or difficult."

"Thanks. But it's already weird. Sorry. Um, look, I should get going, Rosalie has that look on her face that she gets when I did something but I don't know what I did, but I'm going to die anyway." Julie laughs.

"All right. Well, let's stay in touch, but you'd better go. Trust me, hell hath no fury like an upset wife." I laugh as I head towards the car, and Rose is upset because my car still smells like gym socks even though I had it cleaned. I shake my head at her, but watch as Heck and Julie drive away. They wave, and drive in the opposite direction we will go; towards our separate homes but the lives that fate has intertwined. I thank my lucky stars that Edward didn't tag along, because he'd never let me live that last thought down, and I sigh and drive towards home.

The end.


End file.
